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Sunday, 28 June 2015

Youth Funeral are a four-piece screamo band from New Hampshire that formed in 2013. They were formed by Raph from Old Gray, though the similarities between the two bands aren't incredibly prominent. For one, Youth Funeral are very chaotic, and even more relentless. They pump out dark, crushing riffs, with only the odd hint of clean melody, and are accompanied by gut-wrenching, pained vocals. They've pulverized through two EP's and a split so far, and I can't say much more besides definitely give them a try. If you're a fan of screamo, hardcore, aggressive music or whatever, Youth Funeral are a band that should be on your radar. Enjoy.

Thursday, 25 June 2015

Desaparecidos are a five-piece post-hardcore/emo/indie/punk band from Omaha, Nebraska that was briefly active from 2001-2002, but have been back and fully formed since 2012, plus a brief reunion in 2010. Although all their members have been active in numerous other projects, it's kind of hard to ignore who's fronting this band. It's none other than Conor Oberst, who is best known for his main project, Bright Eyes (though their future is uncertain), as well as being involved in numerous other projects, such as the Mystic Valley Band, Monsters of Folk, and most recently, solo (he put out a fantastic album last year). Regardless, Desaparecidos are another amazing band to add to an already impressive resume, and quite different from any of the aforementioned. For one, they eschew the folk influence that is present in the others. This band has way more in common with fellow Saddle Creek band Cursive than they do Bright Eyes. Oberst's typical quiver is abandoned in favour of anthemic rallying cries, often resulting in screams and shouts to convey the band's overtly political message. Whether it's 2002 or 2015, they've got a bone to pick with capitalism, if you know what I mean.

On their debut, Read Music/Speak Spanish, you hear the energy of a young band in wild revolt against the Bush Administration, American nationalism, economic inequality, and the tradition of marriage and courtship. The end result that emerges is a mess of Oberst's megaphone chants over duelling guitar riffs, pounding drums, and keyboards trying to find their place among the rage. The songs are just as catchy as they are punchy, and take the listener on a train wreck that is the American Dream for 9-10 songs, depending on what version you've got.

Eight years after their debut and hiatus, they did a one-off reunion show in 2010. Two years after that though, that one-off show would prove to be the start of their actual reunion. In 2012 they began touring again, and recorded and released a slew of singles, which they put out on their website. These songs were the first new ones written and recorded since Read Music/Speak Spanish. Though the last of them was released in 2013, they were also included on 2015's Payola, which is just what we've finally been graced with. This is their long-awaited sophomore album, which features 6 previously released tracks, and 8 new ones. Needless to say, Desaparecidos have become much more refined since 2002, and it certainly shows. After a few years of playing together under their belt, they're tighter than ever going into this new album. The vocals are a little cleaner, the instrumentation a little more together, the songs seem more worked through, and yet, the band feels looser now than they did. And I mean this in a good way, of course. They sound like they're having a bit of fun with it, and have taken the angst level down a bit. Having said that, the anger is certainly not good. They still remain a politically-focused force, and mention a slew of relevant issues that have emerged more and more since their debut. Enough rambling, here you go.

Wednesday, 24 June 2015

Broken Hearts Are Blue were a four-piece emo/indie/punk band from Michigan that formed in 1996 and broke up in 1998, I think. To be honest, none of that is known for sure. This is one of those bands that sadly have little to no information available about them. However, there is one thing that is known without a doubt, and that is Broken Hearts Are Blue put out phenomenal album in 1996 titled The Truth About Love. It's in the vein of bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate and Texas Is The Reason, though criminally underrated relative to those bands. Each of these nine songs is fantastic (especially "Last Night's Tattoo", if I had to name one), and collectively they comprise an album I cannot recommend enough. The mystery surrounding this band only adds to the specialness of it, since they managed to write some of the most memorable songs within the realm of 90's emo, but were never unearthed like Mineral or something was. They came, they went, they stayed hidden, but they sure as hell won't be forgotten anytime soon. Their members apparently played in a few other bands, but the only one I really know of is Ordination Of Aaron, give them a try too. Enjoy.

Sunday, 21 June 2015

Burning Love are a four-piece punk/hardcore band from Toronto, Ontario that formed in 2007. They were started by vocalist Chris Colohan as a side-project to Cursed, who would (sadly) break up a year later, making Burning Love his main focus. He was joined by members of punk/metal band Our Father, who would also make it their main project. Together they took the relentless energy of Black Flag and meshed it with the thick riffs of bands such as Kyuss, creating a sound focused on heavy grooves and Colohan's distinct, guttural vocals. Their debut demo brought them immediate attention, and rightfully so. After two albums, numerous EP's, and signing to Deathwish, Burning Love are still going strong, and just released a new EP. Here's their full discography, except for some early demos, which can be found on Dead Pulpit, which you can find through that link. That seems to be the only place to find them, so that's where I'll leave them. Enjoy.

Tuesday, 16 June 2015

The Appleseed Cast are a four-piece emo/indie/post-rock band that originated in Southern California in 1997, thought they relocated to Lawrence, Kansas a few years later. This band's name is probably familiar to you, since they've been an incredibly influential band in the development of indie/emo music, especially for their experimentation with post-rock and atmospheric effects. Though their first two albums sound a lot like Sunny Day Real Estate or Mineral derivatives, they really came into their own skin for their most experimental albums to date, the Low Level Owl volumes. They abandoned a lot of the standard song-structures found in their earliest work in favour of long, atmospheric, passages that would blend into each other. This seamless sound was really only most prominent on these two albums. Their follow-up to it, Two Conversations, was a return to their original sound, featuring the upfront guitar sounds and prominent vocals they started with, with slight hints of their more experimental side seeping in. However, their subsequent albums found a much more balanced amount of their song-structured emo/indie rock and atmospheric, experimental post-rock, and this is the sound they are best known for. Definitely give this band a listen, there is no way you will be disappointed. Their music can be both catchy and captivating, what more could you want from a band? Enjoy.

Tuesday, 9 June 2015

Dead End Path are a six-piece hardcore band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, that formed in 2009. They're a Triple B Records band, which should already give you a good indication as to their sound and contemporaries. They've got a hefty Discharge influence (not the d-beat part though), some very guttural vocals, and guitar breakdowns that just chug "mosh pit". Are you looking for music to wildly swing your limbs to? Here you go. That sounds sarcastic, but its not (for the most part). Dead End Path are a hardcore band, no bullshit in the mix. And that's got to be respected. Thanks to Jacob Shumaker for the help with this one, and enjoy.

Monday, 8 June 2015

Hit The Lights are a five-piece pop punk band that formed in 2003 in Lima, Ohio. Admittedly, I don't listen to this band a ton, or many in their corner of the pop punk universe, but they get requested like crazy, and I haven't fulfilled anyone's pop punk fix on here for a while now, so here's the antidote. This band released their debut album through Triple Crown Records in 2006, which immediately brought them a devoted fan base and plenty of attention, and for good reason. Their debut is solid, and filled with chunky rhythms and catchy melodies plastered with vocal harmonies and gang chants about friends, girls, and girlfriends. All the essentials of a pop punk album. This would be the last album they put out with their original singer, since he left a year after its release. In his place was then-guitarist Nick Thompson, who has been their frontman since then. Their next album, Skip School, Start Fights is a more "mature" (I use that word loosely) effort on their part, and their tightness in both their musicianship and songwriting is apparent. Four years later, they made an even bigger jump in sound with Invicta by dabbling with a more indie/alternative influence. Now in 2015, they're signed to Pure Noise Records and put out a new album called Summer Bones, which is a return to their original form, plus features a song with their first vocalist.

I've really got to thank Jacob Shumaker for the help with this one, because I definitely would not have most of what's below, so you can thank him for that too. I'm glad to finally get this band on here, because the requests for them have been constant, so enjoy!

A Stubborn Reminder...

Please remember, not everything on here is supposed to be free. Enjoy to your heart's content, but if you can, please try and support these bands by purchasing records, going to shows, buying merch, anything if at all possible. Most of them could really use (and deserve) it.